Celtics

Scalabrine On Toucher & Rich: Celtics-76ers ‘Going To Be A Battle’

aul Pierce #34 of the Boston Celtics dives for the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2012 NBA Playoffs on May 12, 2012. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

Boston Celtics

BOSTON (CBS) – With his Chicago Bulls now out of the playoffs, former Celtic Brian Scalabrine called in to 98.5 The Sports Hub’sToucher & Rich Monday morning to help break down the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Celtics took Game 1 92-91 on Saturday, stealing one from Philly who lead for most of the game. Many think with the Game 1 victory, the Celtics already have the series in the bag. But Scal says not so fast.

“People are saying that this is going to be just a four game series, five game series; I just don’t see it that way. I think it’s going to be a battle,” he said.

“I think they do a good job; they have a lot of good players,” Scalabrine, a 11-year NBA vet, said of the 76ers. “They have like real NBA depth; not where you have two guys that are exactly the same, two guys that shoot the ball all the time. They have some guys that are big-time scorers, some guys that are passers, some guys that are shooters. So with their team, (head coach) Doug (Collins) has a lot of options. (Against) the Celtics, that’s what you need.”

Scalabrine played five seasons with Boston, and had a front-row seat for Kevin Garnett’s dominating 2008 performance. Now in 2012, Garnett is playing center and the dominance is back. Has KG found the fountain of youth, or is his position change making all the difference?

“In the past, Kevin didn’t want to play center. I will say this, along with him playing center, to win in the NBA, typically, if you go across the board and look at every team that’s every won, they’ve had major size up front,” Scal said, noting the Garnett-Kendrick Perkins combo in 2008 as well as the Tim Duncan-David Robinson duo of 1999.

“Playing Kevin at the four would make a lot of sense, but the thing what’s so unique is him moving to the five – you basically have a pick-and-pop center now,” said Scalabrine. “Centers, no matter what, they’ve been trained their whole life when the ball is driven to the paint ‘I’m going to go in and block the shot, or go in there and rebound.’ All of a sudden now you go in to help out and Kevin Garnett standing at 17 feet, its unorthodox for a center to realize ‘I’m going to have to go in there and out there.’

What does Scal feel about 76ers star Andre Iguodala? Is he playing to his full potential? What does Scalabrine think about injured teammate Derrick Rose; is he damaged goods? And as a free agent, what are his plans for next season? Find out all that and more with Scal!